Businesses vie for top rural awards
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TOURISM success story the North Coast 500 is among the Highland contenders for the fifth Scottish Rural Awards.
The NC500, which has been credited with helping drive the recent tourism boom in the north Highlands, is nominated for the best rural tourism initiative, one of 11 categories being contested by 250 shortlisted businesses and organisations in the 2019 awards.
Other nominees from the Highland area include hotels, a pig breeder, distilleries, conservation organisations and well known family firms.
Another successful tourist trail, the Malt Whisky Trail which takes in eight Speyside distilleries in Moray and Banffshire, is also nominated in the rural tourism category, while maintaining the region's drink theme, Speyside Cooperage in Craigellachie is nominated as best rural employer. Turriff's Rural Youth Project and Friendly Access in Forres are nominated in the education category.
Country tailor and outfitter Campbell's of Beauly, a family run business that dates back to 1858, is a double nominee, shortlisted in both the rural employer and rural enterprise and innovation categories.
Also in contention for the rural enterprise and innovation award is Fort Augustus tourism business Cruise Loch Ness, which celebrated both its 50th anniversary and the launch of a £1.5 million catamaran this year.
Fellow Nessie-neighbours Loch Ness Spirits, which recently added Highland made absinthe alongside its gin range, is nominated for the artisan drink award.
Rural Inverness-shire's other nominees are The Shieling Project off-grid learning centre in Glen Strathfarrar, shortlisted for the education award, and agriculture award nominee Rover Croft near Farr, which breeds rare Oxford sandy and black pigs, while Inverness itself is represented by the Kingsmills Hotel in the rural hospitality category.
Dingwall's new Glenwyvis Distillery is among a number of Ross-shire businesses to be recognised in the awards with a nomination for the artisan drink category. Scotland's busiest cruise port, Invergordon, is also recognised with a rural tourism nomination for operator Port of Cromarty Firth, while the Kishorn Seafood Bar is shortlisted for the rural hospitality trophy. The Scottish Salmon Company, which operates sites in Wester Ross amongst others across the country, is nominated as best rural employer while the young environmentalists of Ullapool Sea Savers are shortlisted in the conservation category.
Sutherland is well represented in the hospitality and tourism categories.
The already award-winning Falls of Shin Visitor Centre is shortlisted for the rural tourism award while Kylesku Hotel and Scourie Hotel are among the 10 rural hospitality nominees.
A winner and runner-up in each category will be unveiled at the Scottish Rural Awards & Gala Dinner, which will take place on Thursday, March 21 at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh.
Those who have made special contributions to the Scottish countryside will also be honoured with two separate accolades – the rural hero award and the lifetime achievement award.
